I should like to greet you and wish all the success to the work of the Congress
on behalf of the Komi people and its Executive committee!

Our Congress is carded out between two centuries. This lends a particular responsibility
to all of our decisions and obliges us to deeply realize historical, cultural,
economical and political processes in which our nations are involved. How our
peoples have changed under the influence of the centuries-old history, what
is happening with us now and what future waits for the Finno-Ugrian peoples?

In October the VI Congress of the Komi people organized in Syktyvkar which
struck a balance of our work in the past three years. The delegates discussed
problems of political life, economics, ecology, science, culture and education
which directly influence the present day life of the Komi people. Some achievements
were noticed as well. In the Komi republic a legal field is created that regulates
nationality relations, mush is being done to preserve and develop the Komi language
and culture, a special attention is paid to the children - they are future of
the republic. In the republic an effective and working model of interaction
of the Komi Congress and the state was created. Upon the results of the Congress
normative documents are enacted on the levels of republic-wide and local authorities
to realize decisions of the Congress. Annually conferences of the Komi people
are carried out in towns and villages of the republic.

At the same time we have unsolved problems which we shall to work at. These
are issues concerning social-economic situation with the aboriginal people.
The position of the countryside - where the Komi live in the main - is especially
trying. The republic faces urgent demographical problems, the health condition
of the population is worsening which is to be explained, particularly, by unfavourable
situation of the environment.

Issues of demography, family and health of our children are problems of all
the Finno-Ugrian peoples without any exception. They are determined by many
a factor. We can only wish to the future composition of the Consultative committee
that it will pay attention of higher-priority to these matters in its plans
and in coordination of our activities. This includes propagation of traditions,
new approaches to the way of life of the peoples. It could be conferences, positive
settlement of social problems etc. We must exert ourselves to create reliable
and effective channels of information exchange within the Finno-Ugrian community.
It is especially important for the peoples of the Russian Federation. In the
beginning of the next year, we are ready taking into consideration the existing
experience and technical schemes to host the specialists who practice information
technologies to tune up and set up of such an exchange.

We are worried by the actions of the federal centre to curtail the rights of
its subjects including the right for financial self-determination. The Komi
people's Congress stated that today they have forgotten the wise word cementing
Russia:
"Strong regions - strong Russia". We hope that these problems will
be solved and the role of the regions will be valuated appropriately in the
political life of Russia. This will both strengthen concord among the nationalities
of the Russian Federation and remove a state of mistrust which, regrettably,
still continues to exist.

The Komi people's Congress attaches much significance to international cooperation,
in the first place among the kindred Finno-Ugrian peoples and countries. We
hope that the III Congress of the Finno-Ugrian peoples will give a new impetus
to the progress of this cooperation and enrich it with new forms. From our side
on errand of the Komi people's Congress our delegation proposes the Congress
of the Finno-Ugrian peoples should turn to governments of Finland, Hungary,
Estonia and Russia and leadership of the Finno-Ugrian regions to initiate a
Decade of the Finno-Ugrian peoples in the near future in parity with the Decade
of the aboriginal peoples which is now carried on by UNO. By that we accept
and develop the relay of language and culture cultivation and of that of all
forms of cooperation of the Finno-Ugrian peoples. And not only cooperation of
our peoples - we shall try and confirm the image of being constructive and conflict-free
and good neighbours in the poly-ethnic world. Thank you for your attention and
may our work will be fruitful.